Are You Medically Ready to Undergo Plastic Surgery? Part Two

In my previous post, I started to provide a list of medical evaluations you should have done in preparation for any kind of cosmetic procedure. A successful surgery is dependent upon your health. As a continuation of the previous list, here are additional areas you should make sure
you have evaluated and “cleared” for surgery:

• Deep venous thrombosis or pulmonary embolism risk evaluation: This is about assessing your risk for getting a blood clot in your legs. If you’ve ever had a blood clot in your leg, if you’re taking birth control pills, or if you have any other risk factors for having a deep venous thrombosis, you need to have that evaluated. For example, women who are in their forties, are overweight, and don’t do any physical activity are at higher risk. Depending on what procedure they’re having, women on birth control may be asked to pause them and use alternate methods of birth control prior to surgery to lower the risk.
• Post-weight- loss patients: Many patients have lost a lot of weight prior to plastic surgery, either through surgical means such as bariatric surgery or on their own. Sometimes, especially after bariatric surgery, patients have severe electrolyte, hydration, and anemia issues. Those all need to be addressed and treated before we do a procedure.
• Blood work: Blood work is important for everyone to have done before a surgical procedure because it can bring to light a number of health issues such as bleeding problems, anemia, and electrolyte problems, all of which could impede your surgery or your recovery. For example, one of the major contraindications to elective surgery is low hemoglobin (the molecule that carries oxygen to your tissues). In our practice, we recommend that your hemoglobin level be over twelve before undergoing any major elective surgery.

Being in good health is not just about making it through anesthesia successfully. It also has an impact on how well you recover and how nicely your incisions heal. If you want to recover properly and safely, learn more about what to expect from your surgery by getting your copy of, “Making the Cut” available for purchase on Amazon.

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